montesino-n-beyond

[montesino-n-beyond]

Well, today my prima called and I learned a few things. The most important is that my great-grandmas full name was Maria Marcelina Valdes Acosta from San Cristobal, Cuba and my great-grandpas full name was Benito Ramon Montesino Sanchez from Alquizar, Cuba. Yet, I’m still unable to successfully find that these people existed. 

[montesino-n-beyond]

Faustino Montesino - mi tio abuelo (grand-uncle). He was born 1920 in Cuba and died in 2008. I grew up calling him Tio Tino and his wife Tia Nena. I don’t know much about him but will be asking my aunts and cousins more about this photo. It seems that he had a sweets shop or truck? 

[montesino-n-beyond]

LA FORTUNA - J.R. Montesino 

Quick stop / Gas station / Bar? 

This is the bodega/gas station owned by my abuelo in Artemisa, Pinar del Rio, Cuba. My tio (half uncle) remembers serving original mojitos (rum, honey, and lime - no mint leaves). My dad used to tell me that he would sell cigarettes when he was a kid and started smoking them by 5 years old because he had easy access to them and everyone else was smoking.

The second photo is after the revolution. 

Anyone that is familiar with either photo or the exact location, please let me know! I’m trying to get as much information as possible. 

[montesino-n-beyond]

Family Searching

Finding information about your ancestors is quite easy when they are born anywhere other than Cuba (not factual, just my own input after finding information from every other country). I’m making this blog so I can post things about my relatives and ancestors as I make this journey. With hopes others from the same neighborhood of Cuba can add to it.